Douluo Continent: We agreed on a simulation, but they've come to life?

"I'm sorry, I only awakened my martial soul at the age of eight because my family was poor and couldn't afford the expensive awakening stones..."

Ning Cong: "..."

Poor, yet possessing terrifying talent that even surpasses that of a prostitute.

He swallowed hard, then slapped his thigh. A certain traditional skill etched into his genes seemed to be gradually awakening.

……

"This meal is on me!!"

The next day.

in the dormitory.

Ning Cong, who had chatted with Lu Cheng all night, was not tired at all; on the contrary, he was full of energy. That's right, he had already written a letter back to the sect.

These disciples, who come from humble backgrounds and suffer from poverty, are the easiest to win over now.

He was genuinely planning to compete with Shrek Academy.

The more they talked, the more horrified they became. It turned out they had twin martial souls!

This made Ning Cong look at Lu Cheng with the same eyes that he was a large piece of uncut jade, waiting to be discovered. This could be considered a hidden dragon emerging from the sea. Whether relying on Shrek Academy or the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School, his name would definitely resound throughout the continent in a few years.

As for now... all in! All in, really all in!

Of course, in the letter he sent to his family, he also subtly mentioned Ning Tian. If he could win him over through a marriage alliance, that would be the best outcome. As for whether Lu Cheng was qualified, the upcoming freshman assessment would prove everything.

The cafeteria was already packed with people.

Lu Cheng sighed softly. There were no chairs in the cafeteria, and there was only one toilet on each floor of the dormitory.

That is indeed something Shrek Academy could do.

I wonder if Yan Shaozhe ever fought over a toilet back then...

Ning Cong ordered two portions of Azure Dragon Hoof and Tendon, both at the most expensive level. Shrek Academy's food limits were indeed exaggerated. Perhaps it was because of its proximity to the Star Dou Great Forest that many dishes made from thousand-year-old or even ten-thousand-year-old soul beasts were available.

This meal alone cost the two of them at least several thousand gold soul coins.

"It's so good to be rich..."

Lu Cheng sighed.

The enrollment period lasts for more than two months, and they are among the first batch to arrive, so there are still about half a month before the start of the semester.

After having breakfast and dinner, the two went to Shrek City for a stroll.

When passing by a soul tool shop.

Lu Cheng gestured with his chin: "Let's go in and take a look..."

"You're also interested in soul tools?" Ning Cong asked in surprise.

"Don't forget my second martial soul," Lu Cheng said with a smile.

"Hiss... You monster." Ning Cong's face twitched. Mental-type martial souls have always been the first choice for soul masters, not to mention that his blood eyes are definitely a top-tier physical martial soul. On the path of soul master, his potential is probably limitless.

"Sir, what would you like to see?"

"Our shop has all kinds of soul tools..." A waiter dressed in fine clothes greeted us with a smile.

Although Lu Cheng was dressed simply, Ning Cong next to him was dressed quite elegantly.

Moreover, the two of them are most likely disciples of the nearby Shrek Academy. Even if they are poor, it's only temporary. These waiters aren't that short-sighted.

"Do you have a carving knife?" Lu Cheng asked thoughtfully.

He'll just take a look first; he probably can't afford the price of that thing.

At worst, he could reveal his talent for soul tools and join the soul tool system, but doing so would completely tie him to Shrek Academy.

"Yes, please come with me."

A male waiter led the two through the display case. Lu Cheng observed the soul tools displayed in the transparent glass. There were all kinds of them, but most of them were basic level four or five soul ray tools, soul cannons, milk bottles below level three, and some ordinary flying soul tools.

Although it appears somewhat barren compared to the Sun Moon Empire, it is more than enough to meet the needs of most Soul Masters in this city.

"here……"

The waiter approached a counter.

Lu Cheng's eyes were instantly drawn to a row of carving knives displayed on the counter.

"These are all top-tier carving knives, just one step away from being listed among the best carving knives. As long as you're not carving a level nine soul-guided core formation or higher, these should basically meet your needs."

"Forty-three thousand gold soul coins, thirty-seven thousand gold soul coins..." Lu Cheng's eyes twitched as he looked at the exorbitant prices and sighed softly.

Too expensive...

I really can't afford it.

Even though he was extremely satisfied with a crimson carving knife with a metallic curve, both in terms of feel and other aspects, the price of 43,000 gold soul coins made him hesitate.

"Do you have... high-grade, no, low-grade carving knives?" Lu Cheng pondered.

"Yes, we do." The waiter's smile remained unchanged as he was about to walk towards the counter.

But Ning Cong called out to him.

"I'll buy this Crimson Fire Carving Knife." The young man casually pulled out a gold card.

"Swipe my card."

Chapter 48 Yan Shaozhe: Why do I want to kill him?

The waiter's smile widened the moment he saw the gold card. He carefully took it, and when he saw the nine-colored glazed pagoda pattern on the corner, he couldn't stop smiling.

"Please wait a moment, I'll wrap it up for you right away."

After saying that, he swiped his card decisively and put the Crimson Fire Carving Knife into a small box.

"Brotherhood is in the heart..."

Ning Cong clenched his fist and pounded his chest, as if his whole body was shining with brilliant golden light.

"Thanks." Lu Cheng paused for a moment, then slowly smiled. The two exchanged a glance, as if they had reached some kind of tacit understanding at that moment.

……

"Let's go."

Outside the soul tool shop, the rest of Shrek City was bustling and prosperous, a veritable goldmine and paradise for many newcomers. But it held little appeal for the two. Ning Cong, having grown up surrounded by the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, knew that even a weakened giant like the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was still a sect among the wealthiest on the continent. For Lu Cheng, however, nothing was more important than improving his strength…

Therefore, the two turned around and went back to the academy.

"Where to?" Ning Cong asked, bewildered.

He originally thought Lu Cheng was going back to his dormitory, but judging from this route... it seems to be the Soul Guidance Department Academy?

What are you doing here?

Lu Cheng stopped in his tracks. In front of him was a dark gray building that was five or six stories high. This was the territory of the Soul Guidance Department. Because the Soul Guidance Department started developing relatively late, although it had Xian Lin'er and Song Yunzhi, an elder of the Sea God Pavilion, it still looked shabby. Compared with the magnificent headquarters of the Martial Soul Department, it was obviously more focused on scientific research and practical work.

"Let's go, you'll have to pay for the food inside."

Lu Cheng gazed quietly at the building, then turned to look at Ning Cong, who stood beside him, looking bewildered.

"You want to rent the operating equipment?" The latter suddenly realized, a thoughtful look in his eyes.

“Yes.” Lu Cheng nodded with a smile.

This place isn't only for Soul Guidance Department disciples. Many of the workstations on the first floor can be rented from the academy's disciples, but the price is calculated by the hour, and it would cost at least a hundred gold coins a day.

Ning Cong nodded slightly and went to the administrator to deposit enough money into Lu Cheng's card to cover the cost of staying here day and night for more than three years.

Lu Cheng's smile grew even brighter.

"Okay, wait for me a moment..."

Lu Cheng casually fiddled with the operating equipment, which was much simpler than that of the Sun Moon Empire, but it was enough to make most of the equipment.

The control panel consists of two parts.

A metal stand is used to carve the soul guide core array, and a metal polishing machine is used to polish the outer shell and parts of the soul guide device.

Lu Cheng hesitated for a moment, then took a piece of ordinary dark metal from the support and fixed it on the metal platform. He then took out the Crimson Fire Carving Knife and began to carve the Soul Guiding Core Array in a smooth and flowing manner.

Ning Cong was somewhat bewildered. This guy... was already a Level 1 Soul Master?

It looks quite professional; it doesn't seem like a random carving.

Half an hour later.

Just like a Soul Guidance Master who has done it countless times, as the Crimson Blade left the dark metal, the patterns carved on it slowly lit up with a pale red light, and even a fiery red pattern rose up.

"This...it's done?" Ning Cong asked in astonishment.

"Hmm." Lu Cheng gently wiped the Crimson Blade with a rag, his eyes calm.

"Are you a Soul Master?" Ning Cong asked, somewhat surprised.

Logically speaking, Lu Cheng came from a poor family and only awakened his martial soul at the age of eight. How could he possibly have the money to learn how to make soul tools?

"The library offers basic courses on soul tools..."

Lu Cheng smiled.

Ning Cong's eyes widened slowly. "Don't tell me... this is your first time doing an experiment?"

"That's it."

Lu Cheng pondered for a moment, then took out a book titled "Detailed Explanation of the Making of Level 3 Soul Guiding Rays" from his pocket. While reading it, he operated the metal polishing machine next to him and began to make the outer shell.

Ning Cong was left standing there, bewildered in the wind.

A few minutes later.

Lu Cheng removed his goggles and gloves, tossed the newly installed dark red metal tube to Ning Cong, and said calmly, "Go to the firing range and test its power."

"what?"

Ning Cong hurriedly took it, following Lu Cheng with a blank expression, just like a follower.

range.